Plans for multimillion-dollar sports centre in Naracoorte may be dumped, despite strong support
A council may dump a multimillion-dollar sports complex because support isn’t “overwhelming” – despite a high majority of locals voting yes.
Mount Gambier
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The future of a multimillion-dollar sports centre in Naracoorte is uncertain after community feedback revealed locals were “not overwhelmingly supportive” of the project – despite 62.6 per cent in support.
A major overhaul of the Naracoorte and Districts Sports Centre has been on Naracoorte and Lucindale Council’s agenda since 2018, with two different options under consideration – an $8m revamp, or a new, stand-alone $35m centre.
At its first meeting for the year, the council heard community consultation had found 37.4 per cent of respondents were against either of the projects, while 62.6 per cent believed council should pursue one or the other.
Meanwhile, 55.8% supported plans to progress the sports centre proposal in some way.
The council found the support wasn’t high enough to immediately progress to the next step.
“Whilst it is clear from the high number of survey responses that the Naracoorte & Districts Sports Centre is a valued asset in the community, respondents were not overwhelmingly supportive of plans to continue progressing the Naracoorte Regional Sports Centre proposal,” it said.
The survey revealed 13 per cent of respondents wanted an indoor pool in Naracoorte and 8 per cent believed the proposal was a poor choice of council expenditure in the current economic climate.
The survey found the public believed the council should help give the existing sports centre a facelift, rather than pursuing the project builds.
Respondents also said upgrades should be funded by the sporting clubs that use the centre.
“The Naracoorte Regional Sports Centre project has been considered by council since 2019 and project concepts and designs have been through significant discussion and debate since then,” the council meeting heard.
“Given the time and resources dedicated to this proposal, it’s clear that council now needs to provide some clear direction to the community on the future of the proposal – either by committing to continue progressing plans or shelving them once and for all.”
A masterplan for the Regional Sports Centre was endorsed in 2019 and a design and feasibility study undertaken in 2021.
Initial proposals were rejected over costings and other factors and the project was shelved until 2023 where the current council decided to revisit the proposals and ask the community for its say on two possible project builds.
The two options for consultation included an $8m project of a stand-alone two-court indoor sports stadium or a new $35m, stand-alone two-storey complex.
The $8m project would feature two multi-sports courts – with one court being a basketball/netball show court with fixed spectator seating and also contain a community function room, canteen/kitchen, office, change rooms and storage.
This option would see the retention of the existing basketball stadium located in the current sports centre.
On the other hand, the $35m project would involve removing the existing football, netball and tennis clubrooms home to the Naracoorte Demons, the town’s local football and netball clubs in the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League.
This option would involve building an new stand-alone two-storey sporting complex with four indoor multi-use courts, modern changerooms, umpire facilities, commercial kitchen and function room / clubrooms, four squash courts, canteen, administration area, a lift and multiple viewing areas.
The Naracoorte Lucindale Council has been contacted for comment.
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